Mount Lofty & Clachnaben

Two match reports from Sunday. First me:

Returning to the scene of the crime, I headed back to the Mount Lofty area at dawn yesterday morning (Sunday) - this time with the express view of hiking to the top, unlike the last time when I got lost on a short wander round the foothills. My companions were my very pregnant daughter Kelly and her partner Chris, both of them gym freaks.

We were up and down the mountain before the heat of the day. It took us 2 hours 23 minutes with total climbing of 505 metres, and a peak elevation of 712 metres. The distance covered was 9 kms (http://www.mapmywalk.com/workout/1354029475).

Here's Kelly and I at the observation deck at the top, with the city of Adelaide behind us, and beyond, the seas of the Great Australian Bight which lead to the Antarctic Ocean:

Meanwhile, back home in Deeside, Gordon was our star reporter:

"5 walkers – Ken / Gordon / Stewart / Colin / Ian Sharp and two dogs headed to straight o the Quarry Car Park ready to START at 9am, all arrived on time and we set off on time. The weather was 2 degrees C at the start but no noticeable wind. One we got going we soon heated up, and was a demanding pace set by the super fit Mr Sharp, poor Stewart lagged behind and had to take off a couple of layers to stop from overheating.

Once we got to he steep part we had to slow down due to slippery and icy conditions, when we were just about at the top a fit young man who had overtaken us on the way up met us on the way down, he told us the wind was quite strong at the top, we decided to have lunch under the shelter of the pimple, this is where the team photo was taken.

After lunch we headed to the top, the temperature dropped about 5 degrees, we had a quick trip to the top and then headed to the marker before starting the treacherous descent, Ken produced two sets of crampons, one of which was given to Colin and the second he donned himself. They quickly passed me and I took up the rear position and carefully trying not to end up on my bottom, did happen once but everyone else was too busy looking after themselves to notice, no damage done.

The path was extremely busy with late starters making there way up, at one point I met a guy from BP and his girlfriend, then 100 yards later 3 women from Lynda's work then 100 yards later another associate of Lynda's work colleagues husband, busy place.

We arrived back at the car park, 4 hours 5 minutes up and down, pleasant walk and a good start before May, Ken said he would try to arrange Morven hill near Ballater, middle of March. "

Hill of Fare

Jeb and Ian dipped out of the cycling trip on Monday but instead opted for a Hill of Fare Walk, described here by Ian:

"In the absence of cycling suggestions  today ( due to ice ? ) A man & his dog ( Jeb & Sky ) along with late comer Ian Sharp went walking up Echt end of Hill if Fare .

Jeb had a route in mind - a long loop around the East end of the hill .

Quite a steep climb upward followed by an flatter section to the Cairn /  viewpoint ( see photos ) - where we took in the lovely views toward the sunny & snow covered hill tops around us .

A long loop round to a steep decent ( Jeb suggested potential cycle route - Red Card ) back to the cars .

The only incident was when Sky decided to give chase towards 3 golden labs - but all ended in some play only & no fights !

1 hour 45 mins walking ."

The photos:

Our leader, meanwhile, opted to go ski-ing!

Peter Hill

From Ken:

"Well, our little stroll up Peter Hill was tame compared to these Aussie walks!  We benefited from there being only one path up and returned the same way (note that one Ian).  Ken, Ian Sh, Colin, John and Jeb assembled at Finzean car park (thats Finzean car park Jeb, not the guide hut) and drove another mile along the road to the sawmill.  We took the landrover track across the Feugh and headed up onto the grouse moorland, eventually topping out at the cairn on the top of Peter Hill.  Views were good with Bennachie to the north and a very snowy Mount Keen and Morvern to the west. It was balmy down by the Feugh in the intermittent sunshine and baltic on top in a biting wind.  The grim-faced souls on the top in the pic are the ones without any tomato soup - that should be a lesson to us all. Two and a half hours round trip at the cracking pace set by Colin with his bionic joint. A quick bite to eat at the busy Finzean farmshop and for me a gentle stroll home.  A nice outing to get us started on 2016 hill-walking.  Looks like we are on for a walk on Sunday 21st  with Gordon, Andy, myself confirmed, Stewart and Ian Sh probables and Colin TBA.  Morvern would be a good objective but we'll confirm nearer the time when we get a forecast. "

Ian chipped in a couple of photos as well:

Mount Lofty (mis)adventure

Almost accidentally, I got another hill-walk in this morning. Jo and I drove over to Mount Lofty and the Cleland Conservation Park. We had planned to have lunch at Utopia, a nice restaurant at the foot of the first falls, but we arrived a little early, so I booked a table for 1:30 pm and we took a short stroll up the trail to the second falls.

At this point, Jo reckoned the trail was getting too steep for her - and it was very hot - so she waited there whilst I explored a little higher up and further on. I got to a viewpoint at Eagle on the Hill then decided to take one of the other trails back, rather than just re-trace my steps. Therein began my troubles - the trails were all named but I didn't have a trail map and went the wrong way on what I thought was a trail that would safely take me back to Jo and the restaurant in plenty of time for our lunch booking.

I walked and walked, never seeing another soul and the trails were becoming hikes, and I was only wearing flip-flops (or thongs as they call them here). Eventually, I could see below me where I needed to get to but there was now a gorge between us and the way down was fenced off anyway with signs warning of feral animals in that area.

I had no option but to walk on - and on. Eventually, I came across a Land Rover track and walked down it. Halfway down, and thinking it couldn't be far now, blow me, but a Land Rover appeared behind me. "G'day mate!" I asked whether this track would lead me back to Utopia or not and he replied "eventually" - "in about 3 or 4 kms. - uphill again!" I flashed him a pleading look and asked him which way he was going and he said, "sure, mate - jump in". He told me he'd worked there for 5 years and only ever been on the track where he picked me up once before. "Nobody ever goes there, mate!"

What a saviour - I got back to Jo about an hour and a half later than originally planned and just before she was preparing to send out the search parties, thinking I had either fallen or had a heart attack or something.

In the end, MapMyWalk shows I covered a distance of 12 kms, but the last 3 were in a Land Rover so I guess they don't count? Here's the stats - http://www.mapmywalk.com/workout/1341354009

Now the photos:

2nd (small) falls

Found this at the wrong time

At Eagle on the Hill with the city of Adelaide in the background

Decision point

1st falls